


Darlin', We're Goin' Down Swimmin'

by sladeninstitute



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Crash Landing, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2013-10-24
Packaged: 2017-12-30 07:58:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sladeninstitute/pseuds/sladeninstitute
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Bones are forced to crash land their shuttle in a body of water. Starfleet has provided for these types of situations, it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darlin', We're Goin' Down Swimmin'

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tumblr user nicolashalden](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=tumblr+user+nicolashalden).



Bones had always known that this day would come. They'd all tried to tell him that his aviophobia was overblown, that he'd never wind up dying in an aircraft, and here he was. They were going down and there wasn't a damn thing anybody could do about it.

"This is shuttlecraft Galileo, NCC-1701/7 calling mayday!" Jim was sat at the main console, calling out over the shuttle's comm to anybody who'd listen. "We've had an engine failure and are preparing to crash land! Mayday, I repeat, this is the shuttlecraft Galileo, NCC-1701/7...." The captain repeated his message while Bones had hunkered himself down under one of the benches. It came as no shock that the good doctor was hyperventilating, images of spectacularly morbid shuttle crashes playing out in his mind. He'd always expected that his death in an aircraft would've been instantaneous, that he'd be dead before he knew what'd happened. By the looks of it, that wasn't the case. He had what felt like all the time in the world to wait for the impact that'd kill him.

Or so he thought.

"Bones!" Jim spun around in his seat, eyes searching the shuttle for his travelling companion. It took him several seconds before he located the shadow covered form of the doctor under the bench. "Bones, we're gonna get out of this alive, alright?" The captain crossed the short length of the shuttle, bending down to get a good look at Dr. McCoy.

"How the hell d'you know that, Jim?" Eyes wide with panic, Bones's voice was acidic. He wasn't about to tolerate whatever sugar coated bullshit Jim wanted to throw at him. "We've had a damn engine failure and we're hurtlin' down to the surface of the planet. What in the sam hell makes you think we're gonna get outta this alive?" 

Jim pointed out of the shuttlecraft's main window, where the nose of the craft was pointed down and headed for a mid-sized expanse of water.

"It just so happened that our engine cut out in range of a lake. Even with the engine failure, our guidance system is still running perfectly. I've got it locked onto the centre of the lake, we're gonna make a crash landing in the water." He sounded perfectly confident that his actions would spare their lives. Bones was still skeptical that their deaths were only minutes away, but Jim's confidence did help to ease the anxiety that threatened to engulf him whole. 

The mention of a crash landing in water seemed to trigger something in the shuttle's voice activated computer. A ceiling hatch popped open, dropping two small packages on the shuttle's metal floor.

"Personal floatation devices dispensed. Starfleet wishes all occupants the best of luck." The female voice of the computer sounded as cool and calm as could be before the intercom crackled off and left only silence. Bones peeked out from under his bench, craning his head around Jim to look at what'd just been dropped.

"Personal floatation devices? What in the hell?" Bones always wanted an explanation for what in the hell was going on, but now wasn't the time. Jim scrambled across the floor to snatch up the packages, which'd taken to sliding around on the floor as the shuttle pitched and rolled. He finally managed to catch them both in his arms, tossing one to Bones and ripping open his own. 

"What the hell is right, Bones." Jim held up two deflated pieces of red and blue plastic, examining them like they were something heinous. "How are these supposed to keep us afloat? They're just strips of plastic!"

McCoy could only roll his eyes. For all his knowledge as a captain, Jim was pretty damn naive sometimes.

"They're water wings, Jim. Ain't you ever seen 'em before? You blow them up and they slide up your arms and keep you from drownin'." Jim shook his head; he'd never heard of them. "They're used to train little kids? For swimming?" The captain's expression was vacant, he had absolutely no understanding of what he was being told. Deciding that showing was better telling, especially with their limited time, Bones snatched the flimsy pieces of plastic from Jim's hands and started to inflate them. He reached for the package he'd been given and threw it over to Jim. He took his lips away from the inflation tube to speak.

"Get those unwrapped and start inflatin' 'em. We ain't got time to waste, and you just staring at me isn't doin' either one of us any good." The good doctor slipped the inflated water wing on his right arm, moving to inflate the second one in his hand. It was just then that Bones became aware of the alarm blaring over the intercom, and he wondered if it'd been there all along or if it happened to be new.

"One minute to impact." This computerized voice was male, and sounded a lot like a Vulcan. Completely unemotional in the face of a cataclysm.

The warning only served to speed up both Jim and Bones, inflating their water wings as quickly as possible and getting them on. As they stood waiting for impact, Jim turned to look at Bones with a curious expression on his face. 

"If we don't...if this is the last time...." Jim trailed off, his earlier confidence having fled from his voice. Bones understood what he was gonna say. Hell, they said it to each other all the time. 

"Love you too, Jim."

"Ten seconds to impact." The announcement was punctuated with the hiss of the shuttle door unlocking, allowing for easy escape once the craft hit the water.

And what an impact it was.

Water could be seen splashing up around them through the main window as the nose hit first, sparks hissing and flying from the main console as water ravaged the technology contained within. Both McCoy and Kirk were knocked back off of their feet, water already seeping into the cabin by the time they managed to get up and re-orient themselves. Although they weren't quite out of the woods yet, Bones couldn't help but smirk. Jim had done it. The crazy bastard had saved them both with the water landing he'd so intuitively pulled off.

Bones was roused from his thoughts by Jim pulling on his arm, trying to get him to move.

"C'mon, Bones. You gotta move if you don't wanna drown!" There was an undercurrent of panic in Jim's voice, understandably so. There were still a million and one things that could go wrong if they didn't get their asses in gear. With that thought driving him, Bones swam through the bitterly cold water and out of the shuttlecraft's door. The sun in the sky overhead was a welcome sight, something that Bones had thought he'd never see again. 

They bobbed on the surface of the lake, water wings effortlessly keeping them afloat as the waves lapped against them. Behind them, the Galileo quickly sank beneath the waves, a total constructive loss. Jim yanked his comm from the pocket of his standard issue pants, silently thanking the engineers at Starfleet HQ for making the communication devices damn near indestructable.

"Captain Kirk to  _Enterprise_. McCoy and I have survived the crash of our shuttle. Two to beam up when ready."

"Aye, Captain. It'll be just a few moments longer. We need time to lock on your location. Try and stay still." Scotty's voice came over the comm loud and clear, serving to calm Bones's nerves even further. Jim snapped his comm shut and swam closer to his boyfriend, pulling him in for a quick kiss.

"Told you we'd make it out alive." He pressed his forehead to Bones's, hands on the back of the doctor's neck.

"In all honesty, I had to wonder what type of organization would give water wings to someone about to crash land a shuttle in water, but they came in handy. We look ridiculous as all get out, but they did save our lives." A slight grin played on the doctor's lips, and he could just hear the rest of the crew laughing at them once they beamed back aboard.

"You wound me, Bones. I played some part in saving our lives too y'know!" Jim was only kidding around, the hurt expression on his face obviously fake. Bones inclined his head and grinned.

"Thank you, Captain Kirk. For savin' my life and all. You and the water wings did wonders for my continued existence." His grin intensified. "That better?"

"Much better, Doctor McCoy. You're welcome, by the way. It was an honour to save the life of the hottest doctor in the whole 'Fleet." Bones scoffed at that. Even when they were bobbing on the surface of a lake, Jim still had time to get in a dumb compliment.

The lights of a transporter beam circled around them both, giving them mere seconds to prepare for their return to the  _Enterprise._ They were going home.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based off of [this headcanon](http://captainressentiment.co.vu/post/62696207778) of mine.  
> Feel free to let me know what you thought in the comments!


End file.
